The Tavern at Bayboro will add something new to complement their award-winning crunchy grouper sandwich: football.
Starting Sept. 10, The Tavern, which is located right behind the STG building, will open to show select college football games on Saturdays. Hours on Saturday will be from 11 a.m to 7 p.m. While the Bulls won’t be featured until Sept. 17, other games like the Kentucky Wildcats vs. the Florida Gators will be shown on opening day.
USF St. Petersburg peer coach and sophomore Sean Murphy is one student who is ready for another alternative to The Reef as somewhere to eat on the weekend.
“I would be pretty excited if the Tavern were to be open on Saturdays because it provides us students with another option to eat at on campus,” said Murphy.
There is also someone else who might be pretty excited, come Saturday.
Patrick Browning, who has been pouring drafts at The Tavern for one year, won’t mind coming in to work on Saturdays. Browning is a St. Petersburg native with an abundance of football experience. He played offensive lineman at the University of Florida starting in 1995, and was also a member of the 1996 Gators team that posted a 12-1 record (8- 0 in Southeastern Conference play) and won the Sugar Bowl National Championship. Browning even collected a trio of SEC Division titles during his career.
Although he did not become a professional football player, Browning kept his spirit for the sport alive after college. He has coached the sport for the past seven years at Plant City High School, where he also taught Advanced Placement World History.
As a former offensive lineman, Browning had a lot to say about the position and its importance to the game.
“Offensive linemen need selflessness,” Browning said. “Like a kicker, you’re never going to get noticed until you do something wrong. Everyone else gets the glory, and that doesn’t happen without the offensive linemen. It’s the most important position on the field.”
It’s clear that football has played a big part in Browning’s life, and for the evidence, one must look no further than the walls of the Tavern. They’re completely covered with football memorabilia, including the jersey from Browning’s playing days, and one from Tom Herzhauser’s son, Joe, who played for USF from 2006 to 2008, also as an offensive lineman.
Browning plans to sell more than beer and tailgating food on Saturdays; he’s selling an experience.
“I love college football and the atmosphere that comes with it. Trying to recreate that is important to me. I thrive on the energy of a bunch of people rooting for their home team. It’s about the tailgate. You go anywhere in the SEC or ACC, and people gather.”
The break at halftime during the featured game will also give customers a chance to participate in events typical of tailgates. Some of the planned events are tailgate classic cornholen where participants can win prizes, hula hooping for the kids and, of course, throwing a football.
The Tavern will also be adding some new menu items. The most notable addition is pizza, which will be sold by the slice. But that’s not all; the Tavern will also begin featuring beer and wing specials, with a new craft beer featured each Saturday for four dollars.
According to the Tavern’s Facebook page, “Tavern Time T-Shirts” will also be available for purchase. They range from $10 for a black T-shirt to $25 for a Tavern green button down.
“I drive over an hour to get there and I do it for Tom and his family,” Browning said. He thinks that you won’t find a better menu or group of people.
